The Dying Star
by queenpearl
Summary: Enterprise A is called back to Earth to investigate a strange anomaly originating from the sun. What comes through, is astonishing...


_Sol Sector, Earth 2289_

"Normal"

 _"Comm"_

 **"Caprican"**

 _..._

The anomaly was first detected in the early morning hours. Resembling something akin to a wormhole, it sent every gravimetric reading off the scale. No one and no ship had ever seen something like this before. "What do you make of it, Enterprise?" Constitution asked. Her younger sister and flagship had been called back from Galileo unexpectedly when Starfleet first detected the anomaly in the sun. It wasn't really a surprise. Enterprise had more experience with the strange and stranger than anyone else in service combined. "I don't know." Enterprise's eyes never left the sun's corona as she spoke. "It seems to be a temporal vortex of some sort but of what and where it leads, I cannot say." She moved forward only to be stopped as Constitution bit into one of her nacelles.

"No." The older ship growled. "I know what you're thinking and the answer is no!" "The only way to understand this anomaly is to go through it." Enterprise hissed back. "Not if its dangerous." Constitution replied. "I've never seen one so stable. Despite its readings, it remains relatively constant." Enterprise said. "It seems safe enough." "It's a temporal vortex, Enterprise! And while you may know more about the strange and unusual than the rest of us even you don't know this thing!" Constitution cried. "Which is why I must investigate it further." Enterprise answered calmly. "Enterprise, please. Let one of us go!" Constitution begged. "No. If it is dangerous, then I will not put one of my ships in danger." Enterprise growled. "I'll go myself. And if I don't return, tell Excelsior she's got her wish and one of her sisters will be acting Enterprise." Constitution sighed and nodded. As Enterprise approached, the readings on the anomaly changed.

 _"Enterprise, I'm reading fluctuations in its gravimetrical readings."_ Constitution reported. _"Rodger, standing by."_ Enterprise answered. She looked into the darkness of the anomaly. It didn't appear very inviting, then she saw a shape. _"Constitution, are you seeing what I'm seeing?"_ She asked. _"What are you seeing Enterprise? All I can see is what my sensors tell me."_ Constitution replied. _"There appears to be a shape, coming through the vortex. Order all ships to yellow alert, shields up. We don't know if what's coming is dangerous or not."_ Enterprise ordered. The hum of power was heard in the flagship's keen ears as all her ships powered up their shields to the max. Enterprise backed off as the shape emerged from the vortex. She was stunned at what she saw.

A large and heavily armored ship practically staggered through the vortex. She was badly injured, that much Enterprise could tell at once. She was venting atmosphere from most of her decks. Enterprise's quick scan determined her hull to be made of titanium alloy like her own and it bore the scars of many a battle. Perhaps the most grievous wound though was the obvious buckling of plates along her back. Blood had pooled between them and frozen in the coldness of space. At her stern were what Enterprise could only consider as afterburners and they flickered weakly, barely having the power to maintain the ship's current station. Two oddly shaped nacelles protruded from her flanks, bearing what Enterprise assumed was the ships name in bold capital letters. GALACTICA

Galactica groaned. She'd become disorientated in that vortex. The last thing she remembered was hurtling towards the sun in a desperate attempt to take her own life and end the cycle. Instead, she had flown into this anomaly and wound up... Where? She didn't know where. She was aware though of other ships nearby. Cylons? It didn't matter to her anymore. She was too weak to put up a fight. She could hear voices, speaking clear Caprican.

"Where did she come from?"

"How has she managed to survive with wounds like that?!"

"Get her into the med bay, this instant!"

At the command of the third voice, Galactica felt another ship pick her up, the glow of some kind of energy beam seen through her blood encrusted eyes. She began to move forward but her wounds flared in pain and she cried out. The tugging stopped. "I'm so, so sorry." a voice said. "I know it hurts but I have to get you to Excelsior. She's our healer. She can help you." **"Whoareyou?WhereamI?"** Galactica moaned. With that one sentence, Enterprise's translation computer worked quickly and within seconds, the flagship had a good understanding of the language. She pressed against Galactica, trying to be as gentle as she could. **"Shh, don't try and talk. My name is Enterprise. You're in the heart of the Federation. You're at Earth, you're safe."** _Earth?_ Could it be true, after all this time, she found it?! She managed to steady her voice enough to speak clearly. **"You are from the Thirteenth Colony? You are from Earth?"** She asked, unable to keep the awe out of her voice. **"Yes."** The voice replied. **"Why do you ask?"** Galactica felt a rough tongue lick away the blood from her eyes and once they were clear, she opened them. The ship in front of her was of a design she had never seen before. A silver-white hull composed of a round saucer that sat on a graceful neck, topped by two glowing nacelles. Red markings adorned the sides and running lights flashed. Two silver eyes, currently gazing at her in concern, looked over her battered form. How she must look to this local. Unable to hide the revelation she felt at meeting a being from the Thirteenth Colony, she replied **"Because my people and I have been searching for it for 5 years after our homes were destroyed."**

Enterprise considered the ship half-kneeling before her. Though close in size, the similarities ended there. Galactica was what could best be described as a form of battleship. Hundreds of gun ports lined her battered hull which was a dark smoky gray, absorbing most of the light that hit it. The starships' scans determined the only type of weapons she carried were rudimentary early Earth type, bullets and at worst low-grade nuclear weapons. If she let loose with everything now, Enterprise and her fleet could take it all with only minimal damage. Those gold eyes though, big, round, and trusting, told a story. Enterprise, a frontier ship, knew a battle scarred veteran when she saw one, injuries not withstanding. Galactica had seen things. And while Enterprise did not claim to know what, she believed she knew the desperation that drove Galactica here. The Federation flagship sighed and licked her nose. **"All that is over now. No one else is coming through that anomaly. It closed as soon as you came through."** She said.

Galactica gave a sigh of relief. At long last, she was free from the Cylons. Enterprise supported her as she limped into the massive drydock that the starship called McKinley Station. **"Take it easy now."** She murmured. **"Just rest and repair crews will work on your injuries."** Galactica nodded. **"How can I thank you for your hospitality?"** She murmured. Enterprise considered that for a moment. **"Just tell me what you know."** She replied. Galactica shuddered and told Enterprise everything. How the Cylons attacked the 12 Colonies, how she and a few civilian ships managed to escape the genocide. How, for 5 years they toiled, trying to find the mythical 13th colony known as Earth. How, in a final climatic battle with the Cylons, Galactica broke her back trying to escape. And was sent on a course for the sun, only to wind up sailing through the anomaly to Enterprise and her fleet.

The starship was silent as she processed this information. From the readings she could get, Galactica had come from a distant point in Earth's past. At least 100,000 years if her description of the planet and the star configurations was accurate. To think, that humanity was descended from those few stragglers who survived that genocide. Eventually she said **"Thank you for telling me. I will inform Starfleet Command."** Galactica nodded, her eyes slipping open and closed. **"Rest."** Enterprise ordered her. Despite being used to giving the orders, Galactica had no trouble obeying this one.

The days passed and the work done was beginning to improve Galactica's condition considerably. The biggest achievement they made, was repairing her back. The battlestar relished in feeling her stern again. **"Your people are amazing."** She told Enterprise. **"I've never seen humans who work so diligently and so quickly."** Her praise was cut short by a light cough. Enterprise looked at her in concern. **"You alright?"** She asked. **"I'm fine. Been running so much, I haven't had a chance to keep up to date on the checkups. Probably nothing."** Galactica replied. This seemed to satisfy Enterprise for now, but still the starship worried.

Galactica was wrong though. Her mild cough quickly became worse and soon she was confined to McKinley, lest she hurt herself or others in moving about. Only Enterprise was allowed in. It pained her to see her friend so ill. **"Hey, Enterprise."** Galactica greeted, her words drowned in a round of coughing. Enterprise moved alongside, her white hull brushing those dark hull plates to ease her pain. Galactica flashed her a grateful look. **"You've given me so much already."** She murmured. **"It was the least I could do. I'd do it for any suffering ship."** Enterprise replied. **"What is it you need?"** Shocked, but not surprised that Enterprise knew where she was going with this, Galactica continued. **"I wish to join Starfleet, as a commissioned warship."** She replied. Enterprise shifted back slightly in surprise. **"A ship who has seen as much as you, deserves her peace."** She replied. Galactica shook her head. **"I believe I can better serve the Federation as a peacekeeper, not a museum."** She replied. Enterprise sighed. **"Galactica..."** She began, not sure how to tell her this. **"I know Enterprise. I've always known. I am an old ship after all, it was only a matter of time. Frakking Cylons had to excel that though."** She huffed. **"As one flagship to another, I ask you to grant me this."** **"Now?"** Enterprise questioned. **"When else? You can do it, can't you?"** Galactica asked. **"Well yes, but we'll need a witness."** Enterprise looked around. "Excelsior!" She called and the experimental ship approached, saluting crisply. "Yes Enterprise?" She replied. "I would like you to serve as key witness for Galactica's commissioning." Enterprise said. Excelsior looked at the battlestar, a touch of pity darkening her green eyes, and nodded.

"Galactica, step forward." Enterprise ordered. The battlestar did, keeping her head respectfully bowed. "I, USS Enterprise-A, call down upon the Ancients to bless this fine ship. She has proven herself in peace and in war and deserves your attention and your admiration. With the power invested in me as flagship of the Federation, I say to you, arise! USS Galactica, NCC-76 of the United Federation of Planets!" Galactica pressed her muzzle to Enterprise's neck, feeling the flagship lick her head in return. **"Welcome, sister."** She murmured. As she stepped back, Galactica looked at her. So regal in her bearing and mannerisms, yet kind and compassionate to her subordinates. A perfect flagship. Using her knowledge of Earth's languages, Galactica put it into practice as she said, in perfect English "Thank you. Even if it lasts for only a day, it means more to me than all my years of service with the Colonies." "Enterprise?" Excelsior questioned. "Mmm." Enterprise looked to her CMO. "I believe a change of colors is in order." Excelsior replied. "Indeed." Enterprise agreed with a smile. "You'll look beautiful in Federation colors, Galactica." She told the battlestar, who could only smile, too choked with emotion to reply.

Enterprise had Galactica moved to the Fleet Yards over Mars where she was repainted. No huge efforts were done to update her technology as the battlestar was ailing anyways. She wouldn't last much longer. A month after Galactica's commissioning, Enterprise went to see her in her new colors. Red arrows adorned her sides on a backdrop of white. Her running lights were placed on both her flanks and her belly. Her name and registry were written on her flight pods. "You look beautiful." Enterprise managed. Galactica rolled her eyes. "You flatter me." She rasped. "I'm an old wreck." Despite her shiny hull, Galactica's ribs showed through and her gold eyes were glazed with fever. Enterprise nuzzled her. "You'll always be beautiful to me." She murmured. A purr rumbled its way through the battlestar as she pressed her head beneath Enterprise's saucer. Her body shook as coughs wracked her. At her request, Starfleet didn't hook her up to any machines. The only thing she had in her was an IV drip that steadily gave her fluids to her bloodstream. Enterprise shifted her weight so she could better support her friend.

When Galactica got her breath back she murmured "I want you to promise me something, Enterprise?" "What that?" Enterprise asked. "I know you've seen death, especially deaths of those you love. I can see it in your eyes. But you've carried on, you've endured, this time should be no different." Galactica replied. "Galactica, I..." "Promise me." The battlestar rasped. "You carry on, for both our sakes!" Enterprise swallowed hard before nodding. "I will, I promise." She replied. Galactica smiled. "A pity I could not have lasted longer. It would've been an honor to have served with you, **my sister."** She murmured. Enterprise kissed her. **"The honor would have been mine, sister."** She replied. Her strength failing her, Galactica's head drooped. "Rest now. Rest and be at peace." Enterprise ordered. "Aye, aye ma'am." Galactica answered. She cuddled to the starship, one last cough wracking her frail form before she found the sleep that would carry her into the afterlife.

Enterprise rested her head over her, eyes narrowed into slits as she sat vigil. When the harsh breathing ceased, and the rise and fall of the battlestar's flanks that lifted her head with them stopped, she pressed her lips to Galactica's lifeless forehead. **"May your spirit go to the exulted ranks of the Ancients. So say we all."** She murmured. She tipped her head back and a long, low keening sound erupted from her throat. Other starships joined in and the sound was broadcast over the frequencies for all beyond the Sol System to hear.

It is said that on that day, every ship of the Federation, halted their duties and joined in the cry. A cry of mourning, for the loss of a now extinct breed, their sister, their friend, their comrade in arms. And when Galactica was buried on Earth, the first starship to receive the honor, her headstone read

USS GALACTICA NCC-76

BELOVED FRIEND AND SISTER

 _"Give me your tired, your poor, your hungry, longing to break free. **So say we all.** " _


End file.
